Ipalamwa Science Lab

Holy Trinity provides scholarship support for students from our partner congregation in Isimani, Tanzania, coordinating through Bega Kwa Bega (BKB), the partnership between the St. Paul Area Synod (SPAS) and the Iringa Diocese (DIRA). A dozen students from Isimani attend Ipalamwa Secondary School, one of six secondary schools owned and operated by the Iringa Diocese.

The Iringa Committee of BKB approved the construction of the foundations for three science labs and the completion of one of those labs – Ipalamwa – as the next capital project.

This project is important because the Tanzanian government requires that secondary schools have dedicated science labs. This requirement is necessary for the school to be certified by the government so that students receive credit for their education.

Ipalamwa is the smallest of the secondary schools of the Iringa Diocese. It is located in the beautiful mountains quite a distance from Iringa Town. More than half of the students at Ipalamwa are supported by BKB scholarships. The school has been improving the quality of the education provided and having better facilities will help the school attract more students and qualified teachers.

The construction of the foundations for three labs and completion of one science lab at Ipalamwa will cost $35,000. BKB typically doesn’t begin projects until the money is raised to complete them. They currently have $13,500, so need an additional $21,500 to break ground, and would like to begin as soon as possible to take advantage of the dry season and lower construction costs.

In a world where science and technology are increasingly important, this presented an opportunity to use our resources to educate future scientists of Tanzania. With the blessing of the Social Ministry Team, Council decided upon a donation of $1,000 to this project, from an existing fund. A group from Holy Trinity is traveling to Iringa this summer, and may have an opportunity to visit the school and see its progress.